August 13, 2008

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Democratic National Convention Daily Digest and Open ThreadTuesday August 12 and Wednesday August 13, 2008--No. 13-12

The newly created lockup is on the northeast side of Denver. Protesters have already given this place a name: "Gitmo on the Platte."

Inside are dozens are metal cages. They are made out of chain link fence material and topped by rolls of barbed wire.

"This is a secured environment," Capt. Frank Gale of the Denver Sheriff's Department told CBS4. "We're concerned about how that's going to be utilized by people who will be potentially disruptive."

In past conventions, mass arrests have taken place.

With Denver's jails already overflowing, new space had to be created and officers trained.

Each of the fenced areas is about 5 yards by 5 yards and there is a lock on the door. A sign on the wall reads "Warning! Electric stun devices used in this facility."

CBS4 showed its video to leaders of groups that plan to demonstrate during the convention.

"Very bare bones and very reminiscent of a political prisoner camp or a concentration camp," said Zoe Williams of Code Pink.

This new development is quite troubling. (How will media access the facility? Will they charge admission? What about gladiatorial combat?) On a serious note, aside from the rather disturbing visuals provided by the descriptions in the story, why is Denver doing such a "worst-of-all-possible-worlds" PR campaign that forces local news agencies to show video to protestors and get ahead of the story with the "Gitmo on the Platte" meme? Break out the orange jumpsuits . . . Drunka says get ready for a little DNC "Soylent Green" (this is the "greenest convention ever"). Jeralyn Merritt of Talk Left has a recap of similar arrangements from the 2004 conventions.

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